Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Mario Giro began an official visit to Buenos Aires today, where he plans to meet with representatives of the Argentine foreign ministry, the Italian community, Italian associations and numerous Italian businesses, as well as with several representatives of the Argentine Lower House.
During his meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Eduardo Zuain, the Under-Secretary will sign an industrial collaboration agreement in the context of communications and satellite launch components. “Technological cooperation between Italy and Argentina is already solid, and will be further strengthened through this accord”, Giro stated, “and improve the environmental alert system. Equal cooperation between countries is the best answer to the challenges of globalisation”, the Under-Secretary continued.
In an official ceremony, in the presence of Argentine foreign minister Timerman and secretary of state for human rights Fresneda, in which the mothers and grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo will also take part, the under-secretary will hand over the declassified files on the “desaperecidos”.
“With the consignment of this new block of files, Italy bears witness to human rights as one of its foreign policy priorities. Many trials have been held in our country for crimes committed under the Argentine dictatorship. As of 10 October Italian government decided to bring civil action regarding the Condor Plan. The human stories of Italy and Argentina have intersected at the most difficult moments, when it has been most important to show solidarity”, the under-secretary asserted.
The under-secretary’s visit will conclude with a meeting at the Lower House and the Parliamentary group for Italo-Argentine Friendship.